


The Agitated Heart

by Jantique



Series: The Heart Series [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Coming Out, Friendship, Gen, Homophobia, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-19
Updated: 2011-08-19
Packaged: 2017-10-22 20:12:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/242125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jantique/pseuds/Jantique
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Guys are being mugged coming out of gay bars. Steve wants to go undercover, but Danny is strangely reluctant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Agitated Heart

For once, the Hawaii Five-0 task force wasn’t running around with guns drawn, being shot at, leaping off buildings to catch bad guys, and inducing heart attacks in the more delicate sensibilities of certain transplanted detectives belonging to said task force. Instead, they were spending a quiet Thursday afternoon catching up on the paperwork and miscellaneous case-closing details of the last three times they had done all that.

Well. Danny was doing actual paperwork. Chin was at the computer table, doing computer work. Kono was … doing something. No one had the balls to question her about it. And Steve was in his office, staring intently at his computer, doing, um, research. Virtual playing cards were not involved at all, no sirree. All was quiet.

And then it wasn’t. Steve got a call, Chin got a computer dump and Hawaii Five-0 had a new case.

When they had all gathered in the central room, Steve explained. “There’s been a rash of robberies among men leaving gay bars, rolling them for their wallets, and leaving them in back alleys, somewhat the worse for wear, but no fatalities—until now. The last couple tried to fight back, and were stabbed repeatedly. One’s dead, the other critical. The bad guys—two of them—wore masks and gloves, and HPD has nothing to go on.”

Danny asked quietly, “How many vics?”

“Sometimes one guy, sometimes two together, but five separate times, including the latest. Seven vics in all.”

Danny started off quietly, but his anger quickly grew. “Seven vics?! Seven vics, five separate times—that’s just what HPD has linked together, there’re probably more—and HPD has NO FUCKING CLUE?! You said, “somewhat the worse for wear”? That’s called GAYBASHING! You know the only reason they’re even giving us the case is because of the dead guy. Otherwise, they’d do what they did with all the others—bury it!”

Kono looked puzzled. She was young, and didn’t get it. Chin did, and nodded. Steve asked, “What, Danny, you think some of the cops are homophobic?”

“Of COURSE they’re ignorant, homophobic bigots, they’re fucking cops, and the few gay cops that may or may not be on the Force don’t want to get involved. They could get their own covers blown. And believe me, you do not want to be out on any police force in this country, Hawaii included. No one comes when you call, there’s no backup—you’re a dead man.” He looked into the distance, and said, “I’ve seen it.”

“All right then,” Steve said softly, “it’s a good thing we have the case, isn’t it?”

Danny took a deep breath. “Yeah—yeah, it is.”

They went over the evidence, such as it was, and revisited the crime scenes. Three of the assaults, and the murder had occurred outside a bar called “Ānuenue”, The Rainbow. Chin and Kono checked that out while Steve and Danny went to the other two bars, but any possible physical evidence was long gone. Then they interviewed the victims and potential witnesses. But no one had seen anything. Or, at least, would admit to it.

Back at Headquarters, all of them tired and frustrated, Steve made the inevitable suggestion. Danny knew what he was going to say because, hell, he was a detective, and he knew what the next logical step was. Didn’t mean he had to like it.

“We’ll have to go undercover, get the perps to try to roll us.”

Danny was ready for that. “Good idea, why don’t you and Chin take Ānuenue, and I’ll cover the other two places?”

Chin shook his head. “Sorry, brah, I was in Ānuenue today flashing my badge. Everyone there knows who I am. And the perps could have inside help.”

Steve said, “It’s most logical that they’ll strike at Ānuenue again, and I don’t want anyone doing this alone. It’s you and me, Danny.” He flashed his most charming grin, and needled, “What, don’t you want to go on a date with me?”

But instead of giving a sarcastic reply right back, Danny just slumped and muttered, “Fine, whatever. I need to go home and change. I’ll pick you up at seven.” Then he was out the door.

Steve was puzzled. He thought Danny wanted this case. Now he was acting like Steve had asked him to go picking through the dumpsters with his best suit on. Steve didn’t get it. He shook his head, and concentrated on getting ready for tonight.

Danny picked up Steve promptly at 7:00, not getting out of the car, just beeping his horn. As he got in, Steve looked him over. Danny was wearing black jeans and a tight black muscle shirt that stretched across his chest. His hair was styled to within an inch of its life. He looked perfect for the role. Steve himself was wearing a black tee-shirt and his ubiquitous cargo pants (perfect for hiding weapons of individual destruction).

As they drove to the bar, Danny was uncharacteristically quiet, his stance rigid. Steve asked, “Hey, Danno, anything wrong?” In reply, his partner snapped, “What? No, everything’s great!” Steve shut up. This wasn’t the time to push. Maybe after the undercover, they could come home and have a couple of beers and talk things out.

They parked a couple of blocks away, the idea being that they would have to walk past the nearby alley (Mugging Central) on the way out. Just outside the bar, Danny stopped short and took a deep breath. He turned to Steve and looked him in the eye.

“Listen. Listen! I live here, okay? Don’t piss where I live. Try not to totally fuck it up for me, okay?”

Then he turned back to the building, pulled the door open, and marched inside, not looking back. Steve hurried to catch up.

Inside the bar, Danny was a different person. His shoulders were loose, his smile easy. He waved and tossed off casual hellos to people as he passed them. When he got to the bar, the bartender came right over, an effusive smile on his face, calling, “Hey, Danny!”

“Hey, José, how are ya?” Without looking back to see if Steve was even there, he waved a hand behind him. “This is my buddy Steve. Be nice to him, okay?”

José beamed. “Danny, I’ve seen you leave with men, but I never saw you come in with one. This one must be special.”

Danny’s smile faltered just a fraction. “Yeah, he’s … one of a kind.”

Steve quickly stuck out his hand. “Hi, José, it’s good to meet you.” He used his most charming smile.

José looked him up and down. “Yeah, he’s a looker. But you—” he pointed a finger at Steve, “you treat our Danny right, you hear?”

“Yes, sir, I hear you!” Steve smiled. It was good to know that Danny had people watching his back.

José set them up with a round, and they spent a few hours surreptitiously watching the other customers. No one was wearing a mask, or even carrying weapons. Danny was friendly to the staff and customers, but practically ignored Steve. Steve didn’t push it. They had a few beers, but then they quietly argued over going out to the alley as bait. Danny thought they should go out separately, as greater enticement to being mugged. Steve was dead set against it. If they picked on anyone, it would be Danny, not him, and he didn’t want to be even a few steps away. Finally, they agreed to go together, but act drunk.

And … nothing. They weaved and slurred their way down the alley, doing their best Stupid Drunk imitations, but remained unaccosted. When they got to the car, they straightened up. Silently Danny tossed Steve the keys, and they got in.

“”Hey,” Steve said, trying for a light tone, “you don’t always catch them the first try. We’ll try again Saturday night; our chances will be better.”

No reply. Danny stared out the window. Suddenly angry, Steve swerved to the curb and killed the engine. How dare Danny think that he, his partner, his friend, was a homophobe. He opened his mouth—and then he looked at Danny in the pale light of the streetlamps. He looked small, somehow less. Danny was a Rottweiler in a Dachshund’s body. But now he looked like he’d been beaten in a dogfight, or—maybe—was afraid of the beating to come.

Steve drew a deep breath, and said softly, “Danny, talk to me. We’re partners, right? Nothing, absolutely nothing, negates that.”

Danny slowly turned to face Steve. He was a Williams, and Williamses weren’t cowards. He met Steve’s eyes, for the first time all night, and swallowed hard.

“I’m bi. I was never out in Jersey. Matt knows, no one else. I was more interested in men, physically, but there was never anyone special. Then I fell head over heels for Rachel, and that was it. She was The One. Then … then the divorce, and then I came here. You know, it’s tough when the only adult you know on the whole island hates your guts. So I started coming here. People were friendly; they accepted me. Companionship, the occasional no-strings sex, it was all good.” He faltered. “But if Rachel finds out, she’ll have my balls. She’ll say I’m an unfit father.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Even more than I already am now!”

Steve shut his eyes briefly. Danny had been living with this fear. “Okay, first of all, no one’s going to tell her. Second of all, if someone does, there is nothing she can do about it. You’re a grown, divorced adult; you’re allowed to date other people. And the governor is my friend, not hers. And she will not take Grace away from you again. That’s a promise.

“Third—third ….Danny, you’re my friend. You want to date men or women or goats or hell, even tourists!, I don’t care. A the end of the day, it’s you and me. I know that you have my back. I hope you know that I’ll always have yours.”

Danny smiled wanly, eyes shining. “Thanks, Steve. I know you do. It’s just—until I met you and Chin and Kono, these guys were the only friends I had. The only place I felt welcome. And, um, I’m sorry for being a shit to you before. It was fear talking.”

“Hey, no problem. So, we’re good?” Danny nodded. Steve smiled. “So, you want to try again tomorrow, or wait till Saturday? We might have better luck stumbling out at oh-dark-thirty Sunday morning.”

Danny grinned. “Hey, if I go in there with you three nights in a row, I’ll never get another date!”

Steve sighed in relief. It would be okay. “Well, naturally not! They know they can’t compete with a catch like me!”

Danny chuckled. “Don’t think much of yourself, do you, McGarrett?” He felt a rush of emotion; he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But it was okay. It was all going to work out. Suddenly he gave a jaw-cracking yawn.

Steve gunned the engine. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let’s get you home. We’ll get these guys, but not tonight. You have Grace this weekend?” He knew Danny’s schedule, but it was polite to ask.

“Yeah. You want to do something with us?” His mind wandered as he thought about his little girl.

Steve smirked. “Great! We can all go surfing together.”

Absently, Danny answered, “Sure, we can—WHAT?! NO! JUST NO! Are you trying to get me killed? And Gracie, there is no way you are putting her on a surfboard! You hear me, McGarrett?! Is that how you kill all the haoles, and bury their bodies at sea? Death by surfboard!....”

Steve tuned out the words, letting the noise wash over him like music. This was the Danny Williams he knew and loved. He’d spoken the truth: he would always be there for Danny, because he knew that Danny would always be there for him. And he really didn’t care if Danny dated men or women or goats. But, upon further reflection, he drew the line at tourists. You had to have some standards.

END

 

“Revelation” by Robert Frost

We make ourselves a place apart  
Behind light words that tease and flout,  
But oh, the agitated heart  
Till someone find us really out.

’Tis pity if the case require  
(Or so we say) that in the end  
We speak the literal to inspire  
The understanding of a friend.

But so with all, from babes that play  
At hide-and-seek to God afar,  
So all who hide too well away  
Must speak and tell us where they are.

~ ~ ~


End file.
